App of the Week: Conpoto

HOLLAND (WWJ) -- It's fun to buy friends or business associates a round of drinks at a tavern or a treat at a restaurant.

Now, thanks to the Holland-based social media service Conpoto.com, you don't even have to be present to do so.

Conpoto, which means "drink together", is a gifting service that creates a quick and easy way to send treats to business associates, friends and family and share a social experience. Conpoto has partnerships with establishments in 12 cities in five states.

Go to conpoto.com, select the city where the establishment is located and then choose the restaurant, bar, coffee shop or ice cream shop. Enter the number of each product to send your friend, your friend's contact information and a personal message. Pay for the order and Conpoto will send a redemption code in an email to your friend. The establishment logs into their order queue and checks the order off the list as soon as it's redeemed. Each week your friend will receive an email reminding them of their treat in queue. Treats never expire, so your friend can stop by an establishment the next time they are in town.

Conpoto recently signed East Lansing-based property and hospitality management company Equity-Vest Inc. onto the Conpoto service,  making it possible to "treat a friend" at East Lansing's Beggar's Banquet, Harrison Roadhouse, The Riv, Rick's and the Nuthouse.

The "treats" can be highly personalized for specific menu items or beverage offerings, so the buyer can choose the recipient's favorites.

The program also offers advantages to participating merchants, because unlike other social media marketing programs, it doesn't ask merchants discount anything. Instead, the buyer pays a slightly higher price for the items through Conpoto.

A video outlining the app may be seen at http://youtu.be/J3j5xQ6U708.